hayden



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. H. HAYDEN. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Modem H. H. HAYDEN. STGEE SERVICE APPARATUS..

Patented Man. 18

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Uwrrnn STATES PATENT Fries.

HABRIS'H. HAYDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,248, dated March 18, 1884.

Application filed December 27, 1883. (No model.)

tion is designed to provide means for receiv-- ing any one of the carriers, or all at once, and for delivering them to the clerk one by one without confusion or risk of accident.

While my invention is available with different kinds ofsystems employing difierent forms of carriers, I have illustrated it in connection with a system employing tracks consisting of parallel inclined rails, and carriers consisting of hollow balls containing the cash and niemoranda.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of part of the return-way at one of the stations, showing my invention. Fig.2 is a part plan of Fig. 1. is asectional elevation of Fig. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, showing a modification. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is aperspective view, showing the track and drop-switch-operating mechanism.

A is the delivery-tracl carrying the balls from the main desk to the counters, and provided at intervals with drop-switches B and with looking devices 0, and appliances graduated in respect to the graduated balls,so that each ball will nnlockthe switch at the station where it should be delivered. The locking device 0 consists of a horizontal lever, on, pivoted to one of the rails of the track and catching under a lip, b, of the drop-switch, so as to hold in line with the track a post, 0, sup porting a lever, (Z, carrying an arm, f, and connecting with the lever cc, so that when the arm f is struck by a ball the lever awill be carried from the drop-switch and will release the latter, permiting it to tilt, as in Fig. 1, and deliver that ball to the receiving-track below, being the same device described in V. S.Lamsons Patent No. 258,585. Each arm f is adjustablaso that it may be set to be struck .ket is drawn down.

only by the balls that are to be delivered at that'point.

The receiving-track consists of a secondary track, A, suspended below the track A, and,

as shown, consisting of light wires j, connected at one end by a cross-piece or wire, h, turned up to serve as a stop and prevent the carriers rolling back and escaping from the track, and with guard-wires t, that prevent the carriers from escaping laterally. The wires are spread or opened at thelower end, orother means provided, so that a ball-may pass freely downward into a basket or receptacle, D, suspended below the openin The basket is suspended in any suitable manner, so that it is retained in place until a ball or carrier passes into the same, and may then descend, either under the weight of the carrier or by being drawn down by means of a cord, k. A cord passing over pulleys an'dhaving a counterweight at the end may be used; but I prefer to employ one or more drums, E, each containing a coiled spring, (shown in dotted lines, Fi 1,) which will turn the drum to wind up the suspension-cords L to lift the basket, but will horizontally beneath the main track, the two cords Z extending over guide-pulley m to the drum, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

As one or more carriers will sometimes pass to the track A while one is in the basket, it is necessary to prevent those on thetrack from dropping through the opening when the bas- This I efi'ect by means of a stop device of any suitable character so arranged as to hold the carriers on the track A when thebasketis down. Thus in Figs. 1,2, and 8 the stop device consists of a pendent swinging yoke, F, and notched levenG, in the notch at the end of which the cross-piece of the yoke catches, being thereby held so as to prevent the'ball is in the basket it holds the yoke in the position shown in Fig. 1; but as soon as the basket is drawn down the yoke swingsto the position shown in Fig. 3, and prevents the passage of another carrier until the basket is again in place beneath the opening. A different form of detent is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, where the yoke is normally horizontal, the

balls striking its cross-piece, and a pendent arm, n, is struck by the basket when the latter rises to lift the yoke to the position shown in Fig. 5, out of the way of the carrier entering the basket. To the basket is pivoted a lever, H, which, when the basket is at its upper position, falls to a horizontal position, the ball then passing over it and into the basket, thereby turning the lever to a vertical position, (dotted lines, Fig. 5,) so that its upper end will .p revent the next ball from passing inward while the yoke F is lifted.

By providing a receptacle for the balls beneath the track, and by combining with this a delivery device whereby the carriers may be taken separately from the receptacle, I am enabled to take the carriers from the main track without obstructing the latter, to take and hold several carriers in succession belonging to one station, and todeliver each carrier separately into a movable receptacle below the receiving-track, thus greatly facilitating the working of a line in a busy store, and thereby avoiding extended structures at the sides of the track, the whole apparatus occupying no more room than the width of the track.

By making thereceiving-track of wire I avoid the weight resulting from the use of other materials, avoid noise, and the apparatus is less prominent to the eye, and therefore less objectionable than if more bulky materials were employed.

The spring-drums are effective in elevating the basket, but are small, light, and do not add materially to the bulk of the structure.

It will be apparent that where different forms of ways and carriers are employed the receiving-way and movable receptacle-and detents will be varied accordingly.

It will be apparentthat the above-described device may be employed when the carriers are switched onto a supplemental receiving-way on a level with the main way.

Without limiting myself to the precise con- 'struction of parts shown, I claim 1. The combination, with the main way and switch of astore-service apparatus, of a supplemental receiving-way and a movable receptacle arranged below the receiving-way to receive the carriers passing from the latter, substantially as set forth. 6o

2. The combination of the main way and switch and a receiving-way having an opening whereby the carriers may descend vertically, a vertically-moving receptacle below the receiving-way, and a detent whereby the carriers are retained on the receiving-way until the receptacle is at its highest point, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the main track and switch, receiving way having the tracks spread at the delivery end, detent, and receptacle or basket arranged below the opening in the track, and connected to cords and counterbalanced, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the main way and switch of a store-service apparatus, of a receiving-way arranged below the main way, anda movable receptacle arranged below the receiving-way to receive the carriers passing vertically from the latter, substantially as set forth. I

5. The combination of the main track and switch, receiving way, basket, suspensioncords, and one or more spring-drums, upon which said cords are wound, substantially as 8 described.

6. The combination ofthe mai n track,switch, and receivingway, consisting of wires arranged below the main way and provided with a detent, substantially as described. go

7. Thecombination of the receiving-way, receptacle, detent, and locking device, whereby the detent is locked in place until the re- 1 ceptaclejs at its highest point, substantially as described.

8. In a store-service system, a return-way provided with a series of switches and appliances whereby each switch is unlocked at its proper station, and a receiving-way adjacent to each switch, and a movable receptacle and rco appliances whereby the carriers on the receiving-ways may be successively carried downward to the operators station, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereofIhavesigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRIS H. HAYDEN. 

